Island



(No Model.)

BROWN, Cartridge Loading Implement.

Patented March 22, 1881.

F l x F'IG.

INVENTOR,

O% ZM% WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES DANIEL BROWN, JR, OF JOHNSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

CARTRIDGE-LOADING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lette rg I atent No. 239,084, dated March 22, 1881. Application filed Febrna1'y1,18B1. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL BROWN, J r., of Johnston, in the county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tools for Loading and Reloading Cartridge-Shells; and I declare the following to be a specification thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawin s.

iike letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tool, showing the chamber in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the cap-seatin g device. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cartridge-shell retractor. Fig. 4 is a side view of the cap-seatingdevice. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the 'cap-expellin g device.

' Myinventiou relates to tools for loading metallie shells for rifle or pistol cartridges, and for i removing therefrom the exploded primer to allow the reloading of such shell and it consists l ofanovel combination of the devices hereinafter described, adapted to press the primer into position upon the anvil, to seat the ball in the 5 shell, and to remove from the shell the primer after it is exploded, all these operations being performed by a single implement, instead of the several tools heretofore commonly used for such purposes. N

"My improved tool is especially adapted for use with shells having a central-fire vent; but the shell-retracting device by which the loaded cartridge is withdrawn from the loading-chamber is also adapted to tools for load- 5 ing other kinds of cartridge-shells.

The parts of my invention are described as follows:

1 The handlesA and Barre pivoted at'a,"t'he" handle A serving as a lever, having its fulcrum a at the pivot a, and moving within a longitudinal slot cut in the handle B, to receive the external end of the lever A and its appendages. The handle B has a chamber, 0, extending therefrom, having a central here, as shown in 3 section in Fig. 1, extending from the top downward, and of a suitable diameter and depth to receive the cartridge-shell D and the ball E to be seated therein. The flange I) of the shell I), being of a greater diameter, does not enter J the chamber, but extends laterally from the mouth of the bore, as shown in Fig. 1.

chamber and upon the ball. The presser F is 5 ings that the central external portions of the PATENT OFFICE.

. Upon the handle or lever A, and directly opposite the bore of the chamber 0, is a presser, F, to crowd the cartridge-shell down into the countersunk, as shown in section in Fig. 4, to relieve the loaded cap or primer from undue pressure.

The handle B also supports a cylindrical block or bolt, G, which has a limited motion in and along a vertical bore in said handle, of suitable diameter to receive said cylindrical block and to allow its free movement therein. This cylindrical block is a wholly new device, performing the double function of withdrawing the loaded shell from the chamber, and also of expelling the exploded primer from the shell before reloading. To adapt it to these uses I make a transverse slot in it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, through which slot, from side to side of the handle B, extends the pin or stop 0, limiting the movement of said cylindrical block. Upon the same side thereof, at the upper or outer end, the cylindrical block G has a projecting lip or retractor, H, which 7 5 fits into a slot, d, in the adjoining inner surface of the bore of the chamber 0, as fully shown in Figs. 1 and 3, by which arrangement the rctractor H, when in the position shown in Fig. 1, has its upper surface flush with the mouth of the chamber-bore, so that a portion of the flange b of the shell D may rest thereon when in said position. The lower end of the cylindrical block G is of a conical shape and terminates in a pin, 0, which serves as an expeller, and is carefully set therein upon the central axial line of said cylindrical block.

It will be observed by reference to the drawblock or bolt G are somewhat cut away, reducing the diameter in that part, while leaving the diameter of the same width both within the bore, along which it moves, and at the lower portion, where it begins to taper into the conical shape. The diameter of the cylin- 5 drical block at these places should be nearly equal to the inner diameter of the cartridgeshell, so as to center it as it descends. The purpose of reducing the diameter at the central port-ion I will presently explain when de- 10c scribing the usesand operation of my improved tool.

, primer is being removed.

Upon the side diametrically opposite to the retractor H, I cut a longitudinal groove, as shown in Fig. 3, which groove continues to a point near the upper end of said block G, leaving a'lip,f, as shown.

The handle B also has a guard, I, which supports a transverse piece extending from the lower end thereof to the lower end of the chamber 0, and which serves as a seat, J, to hold the flange of the cartridge-shell while the I prefer that the inner surface of the seat J should be curved and beveled to facilitate the operation of -expelling the cap, as hereinafter described. The handle B, extending beyond the pivot 11, terminates in a bifurcation, K, having a sufficient .central aperture, as shown in Fig. 2, to hold the shell while the primer is being seated.

The handle'or lever A, at its outer end, terminates in a finger, L, which, as the lever A is raised, swings into the groove e of the cylindrical block G, and engages with the lower surface of the lip f, so lifting the block G into the position shown in Fig. 3. The finger L has a double function, its exterior surface at the end forming a cap-seater, g, while its interior surface is adapted to engage with the lip of the block G, as described.

Having thus described the parts of my invention, I will proceed to explain their uses.

To seat the primer, I place the primer loosely 1 into the pocket of the shell, and, opening the handles A and B, I place the cartridge-shell within the bifurcated seat K, as shown in Fig. 4. By closing the handles again the cap-seater g presses the primer into the pocket and upon the anvil of the shell.

chamber 0, the ball entering foremost.

To seat the ball in the loaded shell, I open the handles A and B and insert the ball loosely in the shell and place them in the bore of the By bringing the handles together the presser F forces the shell downward within the bore of the chamber and upon the ball to the required extent.

To withdraw the loaded shell from the chamber, I open the handles A and B, th us bringing the finger L of the lever A into engagement with the lip f of the cylindrical block G. This imparts a vertical motion to said block in a direct line, and the retraetor II, which extends ters in and through the central-fire vent of the anvil, and forces the primer oil the anvil and out of the primer-pocket, as shown at h in Fig. 5. I bevel and enlarge the seat J, and also reduce the diameter of the central portions of the block G, as described, to enable me the more readily to slide the empty shell upon the 1 and to withdraw t therefrom; otherwise these movements would require to be made in a direct line and with more force.

I am aware that it is not new to lift the shell from the chamber of a cartridge-loading tool by bringing into engagement with the flange of the shell the bent end of a lever; butIclaim to be the first to combine with such a tool a shell-retractingdeviceengagingwith theflange of the shell and moving in a straight or direct line to withdraw such shell. By the former device the retractor describes a curve as the lever is swung, and thus the retractor is liable to slip from the flange before sufiiciently withdrawing the shell, especially when the flange is narrow. By my improved device the shell is acted upon in a direct'longitudinal line, and

is withdrawn from the chamber without being cramped, as in the old method, while the lip f of the retracting-block G can be made sufficiently long to always keep in engagement with the finger L during the withdrawing of the shell, and, being thus interposed between the finger L and the flange of the shell, converts the circular motion of the lever end into a straight direct motion, always parallel with the axial line of the chamber-bore and its contained cartridge-shell.

I claim, also, to be the first to combine with a cartridge-reloading tool, as a functional part thereof, the cap-expelling device above described, and to combine in one piece such a device with a shell-retractor. The eap-expeh ling piece is generally a separate piece operat.

ing in the shell independently from the loading-tool, and so is liable to be mislaid or lost, and does notadmit of so accurate or convenient adjustment as in my improved tool.

The groove 0' in the upper portion of the cylindrical block G may be made quite deep,

which feature is of utility, especially when the diameter of the shell to be operated upon is large, as by that means the tool can be made very compact. This also renders it practical for the manufacturer to adapt castings havmg the same outside dimensions to cartridges of larger or smaller caliber.

I therefore claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The cylindrical block Gr, having at its upper end a retractor, II, fitted to engage with and lift in a direct line a cartridge-shell from the loading-chamber, and at its lower end a cap-expelling pin, 0, extending therefrom in the I J, H, to engage with the flange of a cartridgeshell, in combination with the handles A and B,pivoted at a, and the chamber 0, said handle A having abent end or finger, L, communicating motion to said cylindrical block G by engagement therewith, in manner substantially as specified.

3. In a cartridge-loading tool, the combination of the handle A, having the bent finger L, with its cap-seating surface 9, the handle B, having the cartridge-shell seat K, said handles being pivoted together, and the cylindrical block G, having the motion described and actnated by said finger L, and carrying a retractor, H, operating substantially as specified. 

